Hyderabad

హైదరాబాద్حیدرآباد

Joyhyderabad.com – A travel guide to Hyderabad

Hyderabad is the fourth largest city in India and capital city of the Indian state of Telangana in South India. Hyderabad is also the capital city for Andhra Pradesh, as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, an arrangement that is scheduled to last for a maximum of ten years. Hyderabad occupies 650 square kilometres (250 sq mi), along the banks of the Musi River a tributary of Krishna River, it has a population of about 6.8 million and a metropolitan population of about 7.75 million, making it the fourth most populous city and sixth most populous urban agglomeration in India. A Survey by Telangana State Government, ‘Samagra kutumba survey’ on August 19, 2014, reveals that Hyderabad’s population has crossed 12 million. At an average altitude of 542 metres (1,778 ft), much of Hyderabad is situated on hilly terrain around artificial lakes, including Hussain Sagar—predating the city’s founding—north of the then city centre.

The name Hyderabad means “Hyder’s abode” or “lion city”, derived from the Persian/Urdu words “haydar” or “hyder” (lion) and “ābād” (city or abode). According to John Everett-Heath, the author of Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Place Names, Hyderabad was named to honour the Caliph Ali Ibn Abi Talib, who was also known as Hyder because of his lion-like valour in battles. One popular theory suggests that Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of the city, named it “Bhaganagar” or “Bhāgnagar” after Bhagmati, a local nautch (dancing) girl with whom he had fallen in love. She converted to Islam and adopted the title Hyder Mahal. The city was renamed Hyderabad in her honour. According to another source, the city was named after Haidar, the son of Quli Qutb Shah. Andrew Petersen, a scholar of Islamic architecture, says the city was originally called Baghnagar (city of gardens)

Hyderabad Established in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, Hyderabad remained under the rule of the Qutb Shahi dynasty for nearly a century before the Mughals captured the region. In 1724, Mughal viceroy Asif Jah I declared his sovereignty and created his own dynasty, also known as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The Hyderabad State ultimately became a princely state during British rule, and remained so for 150 years, with the city serving as its capital. The city continued as capital of a new Hyderabad State after joining the Indian Union in 1948 and before attaining its current status as the focal point of Andhra Pradesh in 1956. In 2014, Andhra Pradesh state was bifurcated and the city became the capital and part of the newly formed Telangana state, sharing the status of joint capital along with the Andhra Pradesh for the period of ten years from then.

Relics of Qutb Shahi and Nizam rule remain visible today, with the Charminar—commissioned by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah himself—coming to symbolise Hyderabad. Golconda fort is also a major landmark of Hyderabad. That legacy is also evident in the city’s distinctive cuisine, which includes Hyderabadi biryani and Hyderabadi haleem. The Qutb Shahis and Nizams established Hyderabad as a cultural hub, attracting men of letters from different parts of the world. Hyderabad emerged as the foremost centre of culture in India with the decline of the Mughal Empire in the mid-19th century, with artists migrating to the city from the rest of the Indian subcontinent. While Hyderabad is losing its cultural pre-eminence, it is today, due to the Telugu film industry, the country’s second-largest producer of motion pictures.

Hyderabad was historically known as a pearl and diamond trading centre, and it continues to be known as the City of Pearls. Many of the city’s traditional bazaars, including Laad Bazaar, Begum Bazaar and Sultan Bazaar, have remained open for centuries. However, industrialisation throughout the 20th century has also attracted major Indian manufacturing, research and financial institutions, including the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, National Geophysical Research Institute and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. Special economic zones dedicated to information technology have encouraged companies from across India and around the world to set up operations and the emergence of pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in the 1990s led to the title of Genome Valley. With an output of US$74 billion, Hyderabad is the fifth-largest contributor to India’s overall gross domestic product.

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General Facts

Hyderabad city is the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, in the region of Telangana.It lies on the Deccan Plateau, 541 meters (1776 ft) above sea level, over an area of 625 km² (244 mile²). The city has an estimated population of around 8 million, making it 4th largest city in India.

History

History of Hyderabad is inextricably linked with the rise and fall of various kingdoms, Qutb Shahi to Asaf Jahi (Nizams), which flourished in the Deccan region during the medieval and modern times.It was the famous Qutb Shahi’s rule that opened a glorious chapter in the chronicles of Hyderabad

Attractions

Hyderabad can very well be called a tourists’ paradise. The tourist attractions in Hyderabad are worth the visit. There are many places of interest for tourists, in Hyderabad. Not only are the tourist attractions places of historical interest, but also are strikingly picturesque.

Festivals of Hyderabad

Celebrations, Colors, Lights and

Happiness

Hyderabad has a rich tradition and culture. All major festivals are celebrated with much gusto in the city. Some festivals are celebrated all over India while others are specific to only Hyderabad. The festivals are celebrated with much splendor and joy by one and all irrespective of their caste and religion. Some of the famous festivals of the Hyderabad city are given below

Yummy… Dishes of Hyderabad

Hyderabad food is very yummy… yummy… you will never forget the taste of Hyderabad dishes. Not only in India but Hyderabad food is very popular all over the world for delicious and mouthwatering dishes.

To think of Hyderabad is to recall its rich and incomparable cuisine, its wealth of architecture, its refined traditions of gracious hospitality and an exquisitely cultured way of life. Hyderabad is a heaven for “Food Lovers”.

Unique and Typical Hyderabadi Language

Hyderabad Language

Urdu, Hindi and Telugu are the principal languages spoken in Hyderabad. A large percentage of the population is also well-versed in English.

Both Urdu and Telugu have linguistically impacted on each other in Hyderabad. The Telugu spoken here has assimilated many Urdu words into it. And the Urdu spoken here is also unique, with influences of Marathi and Telugu, giving rise to a dialect sometimes called Hyderabadi Urdu or Deccani.